In Forever-evah!

I haven't posted in forever-evah and it's time that I did.
Three people that need a smack:
1) Airport Security in Philly - Made me take off the leather non-soled shoes off the 8.5 month old child (before you get all you have to take your shoes off no matter your age, these are Robeez type shoes and can be compared to, i don't know, a belt since the child is being hand held through the metal detector), and had me go back through the metal detector three times because baby powder containers have to be viewed outside of the bag in x-ray - news to me! (Raleigh Security let me through with both the powder and the shoes with no questions asked and made the baby smile while they were at it).
2) Woman in a car with handicap placard in Wake Forest on Monday - I stopped on a side street to try and get a loose, but limping, dog identified (had tags), my attempt did not succeed and the dog went further down the street - I was headed back to Raleigh and the friend I was visiting told me she would keep an eye on the dog. Driver of vehicle stopped at my window and in an elevated and accusatory voice said, "Did you just put that dog in the middle of the street?" Um, no. Not a harmer of dogs, Thank you. Tried to help the poor thing.
3) Person on the wrong number - I called what I though was the cell phone of a friend who had just had a baby. Wrong number. Explained my situation, apologized and hung up. No harm, no foul, right? Wrong. The next morning I got a call from the number and missed it - it popped up as the friend's name since I hadn't deleted it yet and called it back. Some lady asking who I was, and why I called her man, so on so forth. I explained, again, and thought that was the end of it. Later that night the guy calls back again and asked why my number was in the call registry. Um, because your jealous significant other called me first. Did you really have to call back to tell me not to call again and hang up on me? Really?
A couple of people need a course in manners.
That someone isn't me.
Although I may need the course in anger management after a few more run ins with people like these.

Lunch with the Old Old Job

I had lunch with two friends from my old, old job today - the job that involved being an engineer and purchaser, was high stress and well, to be honest - sucked every ounce of energy out of my being.
I enjoy occassions with the people from this job - lunches, dinners, drinkies every once in a while. It is a time to catch up, a time to complain and in general a time to let some steam off.
The one friend recently survived the one person in each department must be cut layoff (29 people total), the other did not (but will be working through 12/4). As for the one who didn't, his wife was laid off from the company too in the same bout of layoffs.
For the amount of people that were laid off, some were the right decision. But, I feel they missed some total wastes of oxygen.
But back to lunch - we complained, we let off some steam, and overall I feel sorry for the friends still there. Corporate sucks.

Rooting for the Refs

Let me preface this by saying: I voted this year. For the most part I have been voting since I came of age to vote. I love our country and always have. I agree with the current President on some issues, and I'm sure I'll agree with the President-Elect on some issues too. I disagree with both of them on a lot - does that mean I could fix the country? Hell no. Does that make either of them evil? Not any more evil than politicians tend to be.

When talking to people who are fervent in their position. Be it sports, be it politics, be it religion or anything else that people are spirited about, I decided a long time ago that I can't really change a fanatic's mind. Just like a fanatic can't really change mine. I'm bull-headed that way. I like to have conversations and ask questions, but I don't like to be preached to, talked at or influenced by someone who is an uber-devotee.

When asked in conversation, I have told people who I voted for or planned on voting for, but unless you ask, I don't put it out there. For the most part I'm just a fan of the process. I think you should look at the websites of the people who are running for lesser offices instead of blindly going in there and picking the name that sounds nice. I don't think you should stick to a party line all of the time. I think you should vote - or not vote if both the choices suck. I think you should serve jury duty. I think you should formulate your own opinion and shouldn't let someone sway how you feel either way.

Heads or Tails? - the coin is bound to land on the edge one of these days.
Religion? - pick one or don't.
When the big game is on and I don't care who wins? - I tell people I'm rooting for the refs.
It might sound a little Swiss, but for me - a lot of it is in the process.

Democrat or Republican? - Just exercise your right to vote.

Overstimulate me, Part 2

Went to PA for the week last week.
There were plenty of ups - Sage got to meet the best aunt EVAARRRRRR, Sarah. Sage slept for 6 hours solid one of the nights, and he got to see the house his momma grew up in. He also behaved on not one, but TWO plane rides.

And then came the nuns.
In a classic case of overstimulate me, we went to Grandma's work to meet the retired nuns. These ladies are sweet and kind. And they gravitate to the under two set like nobody's business. After an hour and a half (this was going to be a 1/2 hour tour) of being ohhhh'd and ahhhh'd over, somebody let us know that he was hungry. Grandma didn't believe it, so mom went to the car and picked up his bottle. I came back to find the poor little man in a fit of hunger - and grandma was convinced not to let the kid settle down when he signals hunger.

overstimulate me

The outlaws were in town this past weekend. Talk about your standard case of overstimulate the child!
The poor little guy just didn't know how to settle down after the whirlwind of grandma, pa and aunt.
He slept well in the afternoon, but sporadically overnight with increased feedings and crazy crying jags this morning. If I didn't have a total lack of sleep myself, I would say something is up.
Anyway, kelly got a new iPhone, so in addition to bitching about the outlaws, I can test this puppy out.

We have a Rita's?!?

So one of the benefits of living in cary is a cute little tan newsie letter that has coupons and storys and a sudoku (how could you not love sudoku).
On page 3 or so there is a coupon for the Rita's at Morrisville.
Glancing at all of the Hurricane readyness pages, flip, flip flip waitasecond - Turn page back - A RITAS!!!!!!!
For those of you that aren't Urban Suburban Philly Natives - Ritas makes Italian Water Ice (Pronounced: Talyan Wooder Eyes). For the longest time there were things that you couldn't find outside of the Philadelphia Area - Tastycakes, Soft Pretzels, Hoagies and Cheesesteaks, Water Ice, etc. And you missed them. Craved them (like through all of pregnancy).
Silly me, I wasn't looking for Rita's to sell out and become a chain - but lucky me, there are 4 of them in the area (Morrisville, Cary, Apex and Raleigh!). They are a little more store-front than the window we used to go to in Havertown, but hey - at least I don't have to trek 8 hours to get a gelati anymore.

Oh yeah, I've been keeping the Sage posts separate -
wallingoffspring.blogspot.com

Cat Discovers Baby - 3 1/2 weeks

And although I would like to say the cat remains unphased, he is unusually interested in the crying baby.